Highly rated center gives verbal commitment to Illini

John Supinie

Tuesday

Jul 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2008 at 5:13 PM

On a day when the Illinois basketball program needed some good news, Robinson High School center Meyers Leonard came to the rescue. The 6-foot-10 Leonard, a junior this fall, gave the Illini a verbal commitment Tuesday.

On a day when the Illinois basketball program needed some good news, Robinson High School center Meyers Leonard came to the rescue. The 6-foot-10 Leonard, a junior this fall, gave the Illini a verbal commitment Tuesday.

Leonard leaped into the Scout.com top 50 recuits nationally for his class after a strong showing on the AAU circuit this summer. He's ranked No. 43 nationally after his first AAU season. Illinois coach Bruce Weber can't comment until Leonard signs a letter of intent in November, 2009.

Indiana, Iowa, Southern Illinois, Virginia, Arizona State, Indiana State and Missouri State had also offered him scholarships, and head coaches from Florida, North Carolina and UCLA were sitting the sidelines last week watching his tournament games in Las Vegas.

Leonard joined Waukegan forward Jereme Richmond and Rich South guard Crandall Head among commitments from the class of 2010. Scout ranks Richmond No. 11 and Head No. 12.

--John Supinie

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